December received the highest monthly rainfall total for 2018, according to Longerenong College weather station statistics.
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Weather statistics compiled by Longerenong College’s weather recorder Brett Allender indicate that the 77mm recorded during December was the highest monthly total for 2018.
Mr Allender commented that this eclipsed the May and August rainfall totals by nearly 35mm.
“It was the highest December rainfall total since the 126mm recorded in 2010,” Mr Allender said.
“It is also the seventh highest total since records began in 1889,” he added.
The total rainfall was received over six days, with the highest daily total received on December 13.
Despite the wet finish, the 2018 rainfall total of 307mm is still more than 100mm below the long-term average. The 2018 total rainfall is the lowest recorded since the 253.4mm recorded in 2015.
Mr Allender said the average maximum temperature of 30.7 degrees was three degrees above the December average.
This maximum temperature is also the equal fourth hottest on record, equalling 1898 and only just behind 1931 (30.8 degrees), 2015 (32.3 degrees) and 1897 (32.7 degrees).
Mr Allender said that the yearly average maximum of 23.1 degrees is the second highest on record, falling just behind the 2014 yearly average maximum of 23.2 degrees.
The hottest December day was December 27, with the temperature reaching 42.9 degrees. The maximum temperature exceeded 40 degrees on three occasions.